Over 16,000 9mm caliber submachine guns, without magazines, now out of service and decommissioned by the Navy, are being auctioned as part of a procedure initiated by the Defense Industries Agency. The notice was published on June 25.
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These are Mab, an acronym for “Beretta Automatic Rifle.” It is a famous series of “submachine guns” designed by the engineer Tullio Marengoni and produced by the historic Beretta arms factory starting in 1938. The 16,165 submachine guns are currently stored in the arsenals of La Spezia (8,404), Taranto (7,512), and Augusta (249). Bids can be submitted until 10:00 AM on July 27, 2026. Submission must be made exclusively through the Asp platform of Acquisti in Rete Pa. The bid and related documentation must be submitted exclusively through the platform. The bid and documentation must be signed with a digital signature or another qualified electronic signature or advanced electronic signature. The automatic rifles, the notice reads, “will be awarded to the company that submits the best free offer subject to approval by the Navy.” No insurance coverage is provided.
Who can buy them
The consultation is reserved exclusively for operators holding the prefectural license provided for by Article 28 of the Consolidated Law on Public Security, relating to the manufacture or sale of war weapons. For foreign entities, an equivalent license issued according to the regulations of the country of origin is required. Before submitting a bid, interested operators may conduct an inspection, by appointment, at the three sites where the Mabs are stored.
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It was the most widespread weapon during World War II
Initially introduced for the elite units of the Royal Army (such as paratroopers and the “Pastrengo” Carabinieri), the MAB was the most widespread weapon during World War II. After the armistice of September 8, 1943, it was used both by the forces of the Italian Social Republic and German troops (who renamed it MP 738), as well as by partisan formations of the Resistance. The MAB did not retire with the end of the war. Beretta developed further simplified variants (such as the MAB 38/49 or Model 4) that remained in service with the Italian Armed Forces (including the VAM surveillance corps of the Air Force), the State Police, and the Carabinieri until the 1970s and 1980s, when it was progressively replaced by the more modern Beretta PM12. The most famous model is the MAB 38 (in its various evolutions), considered by military experts and historians as one of the main automatic short firearms of World War II for precision and reliability.
Characteristics
The weapons are 9mm Parabellum caliber, weigh about 4.2 kg (with an empty magazine), have a length of 95 cm, and can fire 600 rounds per minute.
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